The Messner Mountain Museum is spread over five sites in the mountaineer's
beloved Dolomites. Adrian Bridge offers a guide.

The theme of this museum is the link between spirituality and mountainsPhoto: Julian Simmonds

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Mountaineer Reinhold MessnerPhoto: Julian Simmonds

Adrian Bridge

5:56PM BST 24 Jul 2008

The Messner Mountain Museum is spread over five different sites in the Dolomites, each having its own specific focus. There is some overlap and, even with Messner’s vast collection of mountain memorabilia, the material has had to be stretched.

Four of the museums are open and the fifth is due to be ready in 2010. If you have time to visit only one, plump for MMM Firmian, the centrepiece. But each of the museums is located in a setting worth visiting in its own right.

MMM Firmian

The most recent of the museums to open, MMM Firmian is located in Castle Sigmondskron just south of Bolzano. The castle, formerly a key fortification, dates from 945AD.

An exhibition in its white tower is dedicated to the history of South Tyrol – part of Austria until it was ceded to Italy in 1918. The museum seeks to explore the relationship between men and mountains, with displays covering mountains in art, religion and literature and a history of mountaineering. A special exhibition marks the 30th anniversary of Messner’s first successful ascent of Everest in 1978.

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Open first Sunday in March to last Sunday in November, 10am-6pm. Closed Mondays. Entrance: 8€ (£6.30). Tel: 0039 0471 631 264.

MMM Juval

The picturesque Juval Castle dates from 1278. The theme of this museum is the link between spirituality and mountains. In the castle courtyard there are statues of Hindu deities. Inside there is a room recalling a Tibetan temple (chants and all).

Other exhibits embrace Christian and African traditions (there are lots of masks). There’s a picture of Messner himself in which he seems to resemble a cave man – or even the abominable snowman (Yeti) he once claimed to have seen. The most fascinating rooms are those used by Messner, including a library, when he is resident.

Open Palm Sunday to June 30 and from September 1 to first Sunday in November, 10am-4pm. Closed Wednesdays. Only viewable with guided tours. Entrance: 7€. Tel: 0039 348 443 3871.

MMM Dolomites

The “Museum in the Clouds” (MMM Dolomites) is located at 2,181 metres (7,155ft), affording fabulous panoramic views of the Dolomite peaks and the Marmolada Glacier. Inside there are paintings and sculptures of the Dolomite range and the remains of bears dating back tens of thousands of years.

Through open windows you can glimpse perfectly framed shots of the mountain range that Messner describes as the most beautiful in the world.

Open June 1 to September 30, 10 am to 6pm (5pm from mid-September). Entrance: 5€. Tel: 0039 0435 890 996.

MMM Ortles

Situated at the foot of South Tyrol’s highest peak, MMM Ortles is a cleverly constructed underground space given over to the theme of ice. There are pictures of glaciers from all over the world, including a collection by the Victorian artist ET Crompton.

Other displays highlight the North and South Poles. In a cabinet there is a memento of the British Antarctic Expedition of 1907-1909 signed by Ernest Shackleton. In addition to yaks, the farm outside also has llamas.

Open second Sunday of June to second Sunday of October, 2-6pm; also second Sunday in December to May 1. Closed Tuesdays. Entrance: €5. Tel: 0039 0473 613 266.

MMM Mountain People

The fifth and final part of the MMM project, located in a castle in the village of Bruncio, is due to open in 2010. The museum will focus on the subject of mountain communities.